TRAUMATIC DIAPHRAGMATIC RUPTURE WITH DELA YED AND UNCOMMON PRESENTATION

The authors report the case of a delayed presentation of a traumatic d iaphragmatic rupture in a 22-year-old patient admitted to hospital for a minor surgical procedure under general anaesthesia, Nine months bef ore, he had a road traffic accident with a minor thoracic trauma, Thre e days after surgery, the patient was readmitted for a tension hydroth orax due to the herniation and the perforation of the stomach into the left pleural cavity. Such a delayed presentation of a traumatic diaph ragmatic rupture remains uncommon. The peroperative ventilatory factor s involved in the development of the hernia are discussed.